Friends Used Bookstore

Summer Sale Specials

Summer Vacation Reading

An open suitcase rests on the bed. For some, it’s packed for business; for others, pure pleasure.  The savvy traveler knows the drill: mix and match, wash and wear, neutral colors, comfy shoes,  and—never forget—the compression socks. The absolute necessities go in the carry-on. 

Then comes the moment that makes every reader’s head spin: What books do I bring? 

Standing before your bookshelf is a moment of truth. Do you choose according to the reader you  wish you were (aspirational lit)? Or do you cast delusion aside and embrace companion lit— those delicious paperback morsels that glue you to a chair while your “serious” reading list  snivels in the corner? 

We idealize vacations, hoping our better, more intellectual selves will magically emerge. But  what makes us believe that, suddenly, we’ll tackle Infinite Jest—all 1,000-plus, footnote-heavy  pages? Can you honestly picture yourself wrestling that beast while dozing at the seashore? Or  maybe you go the nonfiction route, aiming for the stars with A Brief History of Time. Consider  the sheer irony of hauling Stephen Hawking’s tome just to sit through a not-so-brief flight delay. 

Speaking of Hawking, mathematician Jordan Ellenberg created a delightful mock analysis called  the “Hawking Index.” Using Kindle data, Ellenberg calculated exactly when readers abandon a  book. The time spent with A Brief History is, well, brief. On average, readers tap out around page  20. So much for mastering the space-time continuum over your third glass of wine. 

Vacation reading shouldn’t be a remedial course in intellectual development. It’s playtime. Just  as seasoned travelers know how to capsule-wardrobe their suitcases, veteran readers know  exactly what belongs in the canvas tote. 

By the way, Trader Joe’s and the New Yorker aren’t the only ones who have snazzy totes. The  Friends of Pack Library sell a rugged canvas tote perfect for hauling books, snacks, and sunscreen. Price: $14. Available at the Pack Library circulation desk. 

Literary packing is about maximizing joy. Anything profound and urgent can wait until you’re  back at your desk. Weight matters: go paperback. If you can’t hold a cocktail and the book  simultaneously, it’s the wrong book for the job. You want narrative, narrative, narrative. The  perfect vacation book anchors you through rainy days inside, kids screaming “watch this!” and  the sunburn you swore wouldn’t happen. That doesn’t mean reading trash—though hey, no  judgment—it means packing books that rejuvenate your inner reader. After all, the best vacations  are measured not in miles, but in pages. 

I know just the place to stock up: Bookends, the Friends of Pack Library used bookstore. The  books are absolute bargains, and the shelves are packed with treasures for every taste— mysteries, thrillers, romances, historical fiction, and sci-fi, as well as nonfiction for the  unimaginative (kidding). While you’re there, grab a few books and DVDs to keep the kids  occupied. Every sale supports library programs and purchases the county doesn’t cover. 

Pack light, read languorously, happy travels.

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About Bookends

Bookends is a used bookstore managed by Friends of Pack Library volunteers. Located just inside Pack Memorial Library in downtown Asheville, it’s open during regular library hours.

Supported through generous book donations, our excellent assortment of gently used books of all genres are sold at reasonable prices and categorized by topic, with classics and most fiction alphabetized by author. Other items such as audio books, CDs, DVDs and comic books are also available. Funds raised benefit the library, and consequently the community.

Book sales take place periodically within the bookstore. Two major annual sales are typically held in Lord Auditorium in mid-June and mid-October. Check this page and Upcoming Events for current information.

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